Henry b



(No Model.)

H. .B. WALBRIDGE. FASTENING FOR GARMENTS.

No. 545,991. Patented Sept. 10, 1895.

UNrrn Tamas ,ATENT Fries.

HENRY B. I/VALBRIDGE, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

FASTENING FOR GARMENTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 545,991, dated September 10, 1895.. Application filed December 17, 1894:. Serial No. 32,092. (No model.)

To to whom it? mag concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY B. WALBRIDGE, a citizen of the United States, residing at VVashington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fastenings for Garments; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to fastenings for garments, and more especially for the flies of trousers; and it consists of a two-part fastener comprising a metallic or other resilient engaging member which is attached to one edge of an openingin a garment, and another metallic or other resilient member which is attached to the other edge of said opening in such a manner as to form a pocket to receive the first-mentioned member, the members being held together and in position by the ma terial of which they are constructed, aided by the shape of the body at the place where the fastening is applied.

It also consists of a two-part fastening comprising a metallic or other resilient engaging member, which is attached to one edge of an opening in a garment, and another metallic or other resilient member which is attached to the other edge of said opening in such a manner as to form apocket to receive and retain the first-mentioned member, the members being covered with a suitable covering which extends beyond the edge of the resilient portion to form a means of attachment to a garment, and it also consists in certain other novel constructions, combinations,

and arrangements of parts as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of a pair of trousers provided with myimproved fastening. Fig. 2 is a horizontal cross-section through the fly of a pair of trousers to which my fastening is applied. Fig.3 is a vertical section through the fly and fastening; and Fig 4 is a perspective view of a corset with my improved fastening applied to the same, butin this instance it is constructed in two separate upper and lower sections.

My improved fastening consists of two members A and B, which are intended to be edges of the respective members and form attaching portions 0 O for securing them to the trousers or other garment. The members A and B, when adapted to trousers A, extend,

preferably, the entire length of the fly-open ing thereofthat is, from the waistband down to, or nearly to, the crotch. The member A is preferably secured at one of its vertical edges to the upper surface of the cloth where the fly-opening is formed, and is also secured at its upper and lower edges, its inner edge being left free to form an entering passage for the other member of the fastening. This constitutes the pocket or receiving member of the fastening. The member B when in action forms a loop. It is secured at one of its vertical edges by a hinge-like connection to the under side of the fly and is left free and unattached at its upper and lower edges and also at its other vertical edge, all in such manner that when the fiy is brought over and upon the other edge of the trousers the free edge of the member B can be readily introduced into the pocket formed by the member A and securely held from accidental disengagement by said member, aided by the form or shape of the human body at that point, without any auxiliary fastening means. In Fig. 1 I have shown the members A and B constructed of two single long pieces of metal or other material, but I contemplate constructing the fastening of two sets of short separated members, as shown on the corset A illustrated in Fig. 4, as this construction may be found as desirable in trousers as those wherein a single pair of members are employed.

By my improved fastening I not only avoid the use of the usual fly-buttons, but can. dispense with the upper securing hook or button on the waistband of the trousers; but such waistband-fastenin g means may be employed, if desired, and in such case my improved fastening would only extend to the lower edge of the waistband.

It will be observed that with the use of my improved fastening the buttonhole-band is dispensed with, as the engaging member of the fastening is secured directly to the under side of the fly.

In Fig. 4 I have shown the invention applied to a corset A In this instance, as stated before, the fastening consists of aplurality of members which are adapted to be brought together, as shown. This construction is particularly adapted for corsets, as the fastenings can be very readily brought together and as readily unfastened, and the fastenings being made in comparatively short sections, and of a pliable material, and one member sliding on the other, readily adapt themselves to the shape of the body.

By constructing the members of the fastening of metal or other resilient self-sustaining and retaining material and securing the engaging member at its inner edge by a hingelike connection and making the members quite wide the engaging member can be brought over and turned under the other member and will be held, by reason of the inherent nature of the members themselves aided by the shape of the body, against incidental disengagement. The resiliency of the material employed enables the fastening to conform to the shape of the body without cutting the garment or hurting the wearer, and at the same time it is made stiff and wide enough to hold together without auxiliary fastening means, the deflection taking place at right angles to the hinge connection.

It will be observed that by making the fastening comparatively long and of a thin resilient material it keeps the trousers in perfect position with respect to the body and permits of all the necessary movements of the body.

My invention differs materially from a fastening constructed of cloth or other textile material which forms a permanent part of a shirt and which has to be starched and secured by a button to hold it in place, as my invention is always ready for use and attachment to a garment, and by having an attaching covering of cloth can be applied at different points along the fly and can be set forward or backward the same as a button to give a perfect fit and finished appearance to the front of the trousers.

What I claim as my invention is 1. A fastening for the fly of trousers comprising two members, which are constructed of thin metal or other resilient material, one of which is secured at its upper and lower ends to the upper surface of the under lap of the trousers to form a receiving and retaining pocket, and the other member to the under side of the overflap of the fly at its inner vertical edge with a hinge like connection, and left free at its upper and lower ends and at its other vertical edge, so that it can be brought over and turned under the first memher and be held in position thereby without any auxiliary fastening means, substantially as described.

2. A fastening for the fly of trousers comprising two members which are constructed of thin metal or other resilient material, one of which members is secured at its upper and lower ends to the upper surface of the under lap of the trousers to form a receiving and retaining pocket, and the engaging member covered with cloth which extends beyond the resilient portion and is connected by said extended portion to the under side of the overflap of the fly in a hinge like manner and left free at its upper and lower ends and its outer vertical edge so that it can be brought over and turned under the receiving member and be held in position thereby without any auxiliary fastening means, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

\ HEN RY B. VVALBRID GE.

Witnesses:

EDWARD T. FENWIOK, LUTHER L. APPLE. 

